-- On Yangtze River Pharmaceutical Group（hereinafter referred to as YRPG）in support for national defense construction

Taizhou is an ancient city in Central Jiangsu Province, an old revolutionary base, and the birthplace of the Chinese People’s Navy.

YRPG born to this wonder land, has carried forward the glorious traditions of the People’s Army. Along the road of its development, the Group has always attached significance to the cultivation of corporate culture by tapping into joint efforts made by the company and the Army.

From the snow mountains and plateaus in the north to the front posts in South China Sea, from the sea coast in the east to the boundless Gobi desert in the west, the Group has demonstrated its enormous love for the country and support for the Army. Since its foundation in 1995, the company has sung praises of love to the people’s Army in action.

“Without the Army’s protection for national development, the flexible environment created by reform and opening up would have been impossible. Nor would there have been the stable and united social environment, let alone YRPG of today.” These simple words, often on the tip of the tongue of Xu Jingren, the Group’s Chairman of Board, have become the driving force for the Group’s love and espousal for the Army.

Guard of Honor won’t forget

The Guard of Honor of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA), a household word in China, has left deep impressions with Chinese people, who have caught glimpses at their valiant and heroic bearing from where the state leaders receive foreign guests to the live broadcast of the grand National Day parade marking the 50th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China. At the handover ceremonies marking the return of Hong Kong and Macao, the Guard of Honor representing the Army, Navy and Air Force of PLA, magnificent and well-trained, perfectly embodied national dignity and the momentum of the People’s Liberation Army of China, leaving a deep-rooted impression with the entire Chinese people and state leaders from foreign countries and regions. Deep in their hearts, the Guard of Honor, the only troop responsible for carrying out ceremonial and honorary tasks in China, is legendary.

The Group became first connected with the Guard of Honor in 1997 thanks to an accidental opportunity. Xu Jingren, then moved by the honor guards’ spirit to win honor for the country through hard training, vowed at the moment, to “do something for the Army”. From then on, Xu had paid special visits to their station to offer his warming greetings ahead of the Army’s Day, which falls on August 1. Upon learning that a number of the guards suffer from stomach pains, varicose veins and smelly feet due to wearing boots for long term, the company spared no time making a batch of special medicines for them, which were then delivered to Beijing in time. In 2000, the Group donated computers and pharmaceutics worth more then 200,000 yuan to Beijing Garrison Command and the Guard of Honor. In return, the Guard of Honor specially presented to the group a bronze board inscribed with “The army-to-people relations are like fish to water”, to show their gratitude.

As a veteran of the 1960s, Xu can still vividly relate to his army years, and harbors a strong attachment to the soldiers. “As an enterprise, if it is to seek long-lasting development, has to be tenacious and develop a sound teamwork spirit to make concerted efforts and overcome all difficulties with a strong will.” The Group has also sent its employees to learn from the Army’s experiences in ideological and political work in the hope of boosting the construction of corporate culture.

Warm send-off for the PLA Hong Kong Garrison

1997 – an auspicious year when Hong Kong returned to the motherland.

As people throughout the country were celebrating the thrilling moment, the Group contributed two million yuan to jointly hold a grand evening party with China Central Television (CCTV), PLA Television Publicity Center, and the Political Department of Guangzhou Military Command, which was intended as a warm send-off for the People’s Liberation Army Hong Kong Garrison to move into the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. Xu also showed up at the scene to feel the joyous and festive atmosphere surrounding Hong Kong’s return.

Before the garrison left for Hong Kong, the Group, after learning that some soldiers in the garrison are plagued by stomach diseases, donated the newly-produced “Stomach-pain calming pills”, with a value of tens of thousands of yuan. Jia Qingwang, President of the Hong Kong Garrison Hospital, accepted the goodwill from the company on behalf of the entire garrison soldiers.

To express their gratitude, Liu Zhenwu, General Command of PLA Hong Kong Garrison, and General Xiong Ziren, the Commissar, presented by themselves a commemorative bronze board to Xu. The board is inscribed with “Centennial return, National Celebration”. They said they were giving special love to their special “families”.

Love for soldiers performing duty at the southernmost post

On the National Day in 2004, China’s national flag, the five-starred red flag symbolizing sovereignty over the territorial sovereignty of the People’s Republic of China, rose above the national flag platform in Xisha Islands, which was built with the donation of 100,000 yuan from YRPG. It is the revered symbol of our motherland, but also another witness of the Group’s love for the steel Great Wall of China.

On the eve of the Army Day in the same year and on the Xisha Islands along the remote Southern border, the hands that were used to holding guns were joined by those accustomed to making medicines. It was Xu and 4,000 of the Group employees who had braved the heat to offer their comfort to the troops stationed on the islands.

At the following meeting, Li Xingen, Commander of Waters Guard District of the PLA Navy on Xisha Islands, extended his warmest welcome and heartfelt thanks to the Group on behalf of all the troops on the islands. He said the Group’s concern for the soldiers was a great encouragement to the soldiers. “We will turn Yangtze River Pharmaceutical Group’s support and concern into motivation, to better construct and guard Xisha Islands, and to repay the Group in action. We will be the sentinels that can let the Party and people forever rest assured. ”

During the visit, the Group also donated 200,000 yuan for improvement on the army’s training conditions and cultural life, and later computers worth some 50,000 yuan were presented to the grassroots soldiers. Xu also paid a visit to Yongxing Islet, the largest on Xisha Islands, and plant a tree of friendship in the so-called “General Grove” located at the central part of the islet.   

Love for “Mother Town of Chinese Navy”

On July 31^st, 2006, the visiting YRPG was warmly welcomed by the soldiers on the Taizhou Cruise Ship at the military port in Zhoushan, East China’s Zhejiang Province.

The modern military vessel, carrying the glory of the mother town of Chinese navy, has been a witness to the Group’s espousal for the Army. During the visit, the Group donated 100,000 yuan to help improve the soldiers’ living conditions and enrich their culture life. It also signed an agreement with the Army to make joint efforts.

Captain Mao Guojie made a general introduction to the Taizhou Vessel. Liu Feng, the Commissar said, “We must bear in mind our responsibility for the country and the people, not to disappoint our fellow countrymen. We must learn to use the new equipment, build up fighting power as soon as possible, carry out the historical task entrusted to us in the new phase of the new century, to bring glory to the divine land and mother town of naval soldiers. ”

Like the crystal foaming waves on the sea, the Group’s support for the Army mirrors its infinite love and preferential treatment for the Army and their families. In 1998, as the flood fighting on Jiujiang River in Jiangxi Province entered the most crucial period, Chairman Xu ventured into the rainstorm to send 600-yuan-worth of medicines to the battling soldiers on the frontline so as to alleviate their pains.

Every year on the Army Day, the Group organizes such activities as medicine donation and army-civilian get-togethers through its sales network all over the country. Statistics show the Group has donated a total of worth of 50 million yuan through donations of drugs, materials and money. The Group is therefore named a model unit for its dual support for the government and the Army.

When the Army and civilians make joint efforts for harmony, the flower of cultural civilization always blooms. In 2005, the State Working Group on Supporting the Government and Army，Propaganda Department of the CPC, Central Civilization Office, Ministry of Civil Affairs, PLA General Political Department jointly named the Group a “National Advanced Unit on building Socialist Culture and Ethics through the Army and Civilians’ Joint Efforts”. It is recognition of the Group’s concern for national defense and support for the Army building.

Nowadays, the Group’s Hall of Fame and Archives Room is filled with various gift flags, boards, and certificates. Every board and each gift flag tells a moving story about the Group’s relentless support for the Army. They are the best representation of the Group’s solicitude for national defense.